1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a jury paging system. More particularly, the invention relates to a jury paging system providing potential jurors with substantial freedom as they await notification whether their services will be required.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One of the hallmarks of our judicial system is the right to a trial before a jury of one's piers. As such, each citizen is required to give of his or her time and serve "jury duty". Most jurisdictions randomly call citizens to serve jury duty for a specified period of time. For example, many jurisdictions require those called for jury duty to serve one week or a trial. In these jurisdictions those called for jury duty must sit in the courthouse for a complete week to determine whether their services will be required. If their services are required, they are assigned to a trial and required to serve for the duration of the trial. If, however, their services are not required, they are released after spending an entire week in the courthouse.
While the requirement for such service is a cornerstone of our judicial system, the time spent awaiting a determination whether an individual will be needed for a trial is highly wasteful. For example, in York County, Pa., approximately 110-120 citizens for one week are randomly selected for jury duty when the courts are in session. Those called for jury duty are required to report at the courthouse for one week, unless they are assigned to a trial. After reporting for a full week those called for jury duty are released.
Once those citizens called for jury duty arrive at the specified time, they are immediately ready for jury duty. However, the courts are generally not ready to make an immediate determination as to whether their service will, in fact, be required. As such, these citizens may read, knit, talk quietly, use the available telephones or otherwise occupy their time for the six to eight hours per day they are required to spend at the courthouse waiting to find out whether their services will be required.
The 1998 court schedule for York County required that a jury pool of 120 persons be assembled for criminal court for two to three weeks during odd months, while a jury pool of 110 persons was assembled for civil court held during even months for two weeks. As will certainly be appreciated, the need for jury pools in our larger metropolitan areas is substantially greater.
The cost in time from work, parking, juror payments, employee replacements, supervision and administration is tremendous. A need, therefore, exists for an improved system through which citizens may serve jury duty in a more efficient manner. The present invention provides such a system.